SPIRITUAL GIFTS QUESTIONNAIRE

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1 2 SPIRITUAL GIFTS QUESTIONNAIRE 1. I like to organize people, tasks, and events. 2. I would like to start churches in places where they do not presently exist. 3. I enjoy working creatively with wood, cloth, paints, metal, glass, or other materials. 4. I enjoy challenging people s perspective of God by using various forms of art. 5. I can readily distinguish between spiritual truth and error, good and evil. 6. I tend to see the potential in people. 7. I communicate the gospel to others with clarity and effectiveness. 8. I find it natural and easy to trust God to answer my prayers. 9. I give liberally and joyfully to people in financial need or to projects requiring support. 10. I enjoy working behind the scenes to support the work of others. 11. I view my home as a place to minister to people in need. 12. I take prayer requests from others and consistently pray for them. 13. I am approached by people who want to know my perspective on a particular passage or biblical truth. 14. I am able to motivate others to accomplish a goal. 15. I empathize with hurting people and desire to help in their healing process. 16. I can speak in a way that results in conviction and change in the lives of others. 17. I enjoy spending time nurturing and caring for others 18. I am able to communicate God s word effectively 19. I am often sought out by others for advice about spiritual or personal matters. 20. I am careful, thorough, and skilled at managing details. 21. I am attracted to the idea of serving in another country or ethnic community. 22. I am skilled in working with different kinds of tools. 23. I enjoy developing and using my artistic skills (art, drama, music, photography, etc.). 24. I frequently am able to judge a person s character based upon first impressions. 25. I enjoy reassuring and strengthening those who are discouraged. 26. I consistently look for opportunities to build relationships with non-christians. 27. I have confidence in God s continuing provision and help, even in difficult times. 28. I give more than a tithe so that kingdom work can be accomplished. 29. I enjoy doing routine tasks that support the ministry. 30. I enjoy meeting new people and helping them feel welcomed. 31. I enjoy praying for long periods of time and receiving direction as to what God wants me to pray for. 32. I receive information from the Spirit that I did not acquire through natural means. 33. I am able to influence others to achieve a vision. 1

2 34. I can patiently support those going through painful experiences as they try to stabilize their lives. 35. I feel responsible to confront others with the truth. 36. I have compassion for wandering believers and want to protect them. 37. I can spend time in study knowing that presenting truth will make a difference in the lives of people. 38. I can often find simple, practical solutions in the midst of conflict or confusion. 39. I can clarify goals and develop strategies or plans to accomplish them. 40. I am willing to take an active part in starting a new church. 41. I enjoy making things for use in ministry. 42. I help people understand themselves, their relationships, and God better through artistic expression. 43. I can see through phoniness or deceit before it is evident to others. 44. I give hope to others by directing them to the promises of God. 45. I am effective at adapting the gospel message so that it connects with an individual s felt need. 46. I believe that God will help me to accomplish great things. 47. I manage my money well in order to free more of it for giving. 48. I willingly take on a variety of odd jobs around the church to meet the needs of others. 49. I genuinely believe the Lord directs strangers to me who need to get connected to others. 50. I am conscious of ministering to others as I pray. 51. I am committed, and schedule blocks of time for reading and studying scripture, to understand biblical truth fully and accurately. 52. I can adjust my leadership style to bring out the best in others. 53. I enjoy helping people sometimes regarded as undeserving or beyond help. 54. I boldly expose cultural trends, teachings, or events which contradict biblical principles. 55. I like to provide guidance for the whole person---relationally, emotionally, spiritually, etc. 56. I pay close attention to the words, phrases, and meaning of those who teach. 57. I can easily select the most effective course of action from among several alternatives. 58. I can identify and effectively use the resources needed to accomplish tasks. 59. I can adapt well to different cultures and surroundings. 60. I can visualize how something should be constructed before I build it. 61. I like finding new and fresh ways of communicating God s truth. 62. I tend to see rightness or wrongness in situations. 63. I reassure those who need to take courageous action in their faith, family, or life. 64. I invite unbelievers to accept Christ as their Savior. 65. I trust God in circumstances where success cannot be guaranteed by human effort alone. 2

3 66. I am challenged to limit my lifestyle in order to give away a higher percentage of my income. 67. I see spiritual significance in doing practical tasks. 68. I like to create a place where people do not feel that they are alone. 69. I pray with confidence because I know that God works in response to prayer. 70. I have insight or just know something to be true. 71. I set goals and manage people and resources effectively to accomplish them. 72. I have great compassion for hurting people. 73. I see most actions as right or wrong, and feel the need to correct the wrong. 74. I can faithfully provide long-term support and concern for others. 75. I like to take a systematic approach to my study of the Bible. 76. I can anticipate the likely consequences of an individual s or a group s action. 77. I like to help organizations or groups become more efficient. 78. I can relate to others in culturally sensitive ways. 79. I honor God with my handcrafted gifts. 80. I apply various artistic expressions to communicate God s truth. 81. I receive affirmation from others concerning the reliability of my insights or perceptions. 82. I strengthen those who are wavering in their faith. 83. I openly tell people that I am a Christian and want them to ask me about my faith. 84. I am convinced of God s daily presence and action in my life. 85. I like knowing that my financial support makes a real difference in the lives and ministries of God s people. 86. I like to find small things that need to be done and often do them without being asked. 87. I enjoy entertaining people and opening my home to others. 88. When I hear about needy situations, I feel burdened to pray. 89. I have suddenly known some things about others, but did not know how I knew them. 90. I influence others to perform to the best of their capability. 91. I can look beyond a person s handicaps or problems to see a life that matters to God. 92. I like people who are honest and will speak the truth. 93. I enjoy giving guidance and practical support to a small group of people. 94. I can communicate scripture in ways that motivate others to study and want to learn more. 95. I give practical advice to help others through complicated situations. 96. I enjoy learning about how organizations function. 97. I enjoy pioneering new undertakings. 98. I am good at and enjoy working with my hands. 99. I am creative and imaginative I can identify preaching, teaching, or communication which is not true to the 3

4 Bible I like motivating others to take steps for spiritual growth I openly and confidently tell others what Christ has done for me I am regularly challenging others to trust God I give generously due to my commitment to stewardship I feel comfortable being a helper, assisting others to do their job more effectively I do whatever I can to make people feel that they belong I am honored when someone asks me to pray for them I discover important biblical truths when reading or studying scripture which benefit others in the body of Christ I am able to cast a vision that others want to be a part of I enjoy bringing hope and joy to people living in difficult circumstances I will speak God s truth, even in places where it is unpopular or difficult for others to accept I can gently restore wandering believers to faith and fellowship I can present information and skills to others at a level that makes it easy for them to grasp and apply to their lives I can apply scriptural truth that others regard as practical and helpful I can visualize a coming event, anticipate potential problems, and develop backup plans I am able to orchestrate or oversee several church ministries I am able to design and construct things that help the church I regularly need to get alone to reflect and develop my imagination I can sense when demonic forces are at work in a person or situation I am able to challenge or rebuke others in order to foster spiritual growth I seek opportunities to talk about spiritual matters with unbelievers I can move forward in spite of opposition or lack of support when I sense God s blessing on an undertaking I believe I have been given an abundance of resources so that I may give more to the Lord s work I readily and happily use my natural or learned skills to help wherever needed I can make people feel at ease even in unfamiliar surroundings I often see specific results in direct response to my prayers I confidently share my knowledge and insights with others I figure out where we need to go and help others to get there I enjoy doing practical things for others who are in need I feel compelled to expose sin wherever I see it and to challenge people to repentance I enjoy patiently but firmly nurturing others in their development as believers I enjoy explaining things to people so that they can grow spiritually and personally I have insights into how to solve problems that others do not see. 4

5 List of Most Common Spiritual Gifts: A. Administration B. Apostleship C. Craftsmanship D. Creative Communication E. Discernment F. Encouragement / Exhortation G. Evangelism H. Faith I. Giving J. Helps / Service / Ministry K. Hospitality L. Intercession M. Knowledge N. Leadership O. Mercy P. Prophecy Q. Shepherding / Pastoring R. Teaching S. Wisdom 5

6 Spiritual Gift Descriptions: Administration The Greek word for the spiritual gift of administration is Kubernesis. This term refers to a shipmaster or captain. The literal meaning is to steer, or to rule or govern. It carries the idea of someone who guides and directs a group of people toward a goal or destination. We see variations of this word in verses like Acts 27:11, and Revelation 18:17. With this gift the Holy Spirit enables certain Christians to organize, direct, and implement plans to lead others in the various ministries of the Church. This gift is closely related to the gift of leadership, but is more goal or task oriented, more specifically concerned with details and organization. See also I Corinthians 12:28, Titus 1:4-5. Apostleship The spiritual gift of apostleship is sometimes confused with the office of Apostle. The office of Apostle was held by a limited number of men chosen by Jesus, including the twelve disciples (Mark 3:13-19) and Paul (Romans 1:1). The requirements for the office of Apostle included being a faithful eyewitness of Jesus ministry and His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1), and being called by Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:1). The Apostles were given authority by Jesus to do many different things to establish the early church, including writing Scripture and performing miracles (John 14:26, 2 Peter 3:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:12). No one today holds the office of Apostle, but the gift of apostleship continues in a different sense. Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers at His ascension (Ephesians 4:7-12), and these represent a distinct category of apostles. They do not have the authority to write Scripture as the original Apostles did. They also have a different purpose in the sense of establishing the church the foundation has already been set. The mission for those with the gift of apostleship today is to plant new ministries and churches, go into places where the Gospel is not preached, reach across cultures to establish churches in challenging environments, raise up and develop leaders, and call out and lead pastors and shepherds. They often have many different gifts that allow them to fulfill their ministry. These are leaders of leaders and ministers of ministers. They are key influencers in God s Church today. They are entrepreneurial, and they love to take risks and perform difficult tasks. Missionaries, church planters, certain Christian scholars and institutional leaders, and those leading multiple ministries or churches often have the gift of apostleship. Check out Ephesians 4:11, I Corinthians 12:28, Acts 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 9:1 to read more about the gift of apostleship. Craftsmanship The person with the gift of craftsmanship has the skill to create artistic expressions 6

7 that produce a spiritual response of strength and inspiration. It s a divine enablement to creatively design and/or construct items to be used for ministry or the divine enablement to communicate God s truth through a variety of art forms. People with this gift might work with wood, cloth, paint, metal, glass, or other raw materials. They use these materials to make things that help increase the effectiveness of other s ministries. To read about this unique gift go to the book of Exodus and read 28:3-4, 31:1-11, and 35: Creative Communication Literal, to communicate artistically. This is the gift where there is a divine enablement to communicate God s truth through a variety of artistic skills such as drama, writing, art, music, and dance. The gift of creative communication will use these forms of art to captivate people and cause them to consider Christ s message, or to challenge people s perspective of God. Read the following passages to better understand the gift of creative communication: Psalms 150:3-5; 2 Samuel 6:14-15, and Mark 4:2,33. Discernment The spiritual gift of discernment is also known as the gift of discernment of spirits or distinguishing between spirits. The Greek word for the gift of discernment is Diakrisis. The word describes being able to distinguish, discern, judge or appraise a person, statement, situation, or environment. In the New Testament it describes the ability to distinguish between spirits as in 1 Corinthians 12:10, and to discern good and evil as in Hebrews 5:14. The Holy Spirit gives the gift of discernment to enable certain Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching. Read I Corinthians 12:10, Acts 5:3-6, 16:16-18, and 1 John 4:1 to find out more about the gift of discernment. Encouragement / Exhortation The spiritual gift of exhortation is often called the gift of encouragement. The Greek word for this gift is Parakaleo. It means to beseech, exhort, call upon, to encourage and to strengthen. The primary means of exhortation is to remind the hearer of the powerful and amazing work of God in Christ, particularly in regard to the saving work of Jesus in the atonement. We see Paul commanding Titus to use this gift in Titus 1:9 and throughout chapter 2, particularly Titus 2: He also charges Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2. The Spirit of God gives this gift to people in the church to strengthen and encourage those who are wavering in their faith. Those with the gift of exhortation can uplift and motivate others as well as challenge and rebuke them in order to foster spiritual 7

8 growth and action. The goal of the encourager is to see everyone in the church continually building up the body of Christ and glorifying God. Other passages to read for further clarification of the gift of exhortation are Romans 12:8, Acts 11:23-24, 14:21-22, and 15:32. Evangelism All Christians are called to evangelize and reach out to the lost with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), but some are given an extra measure of faith and effectiveness in this area. The spiritual gift of evangelism is found in Ephesians 4:11-12 where Paul says that Jesus gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. The Greek word for evangelists is Euaggelistes which means one who brings good news. This word is only found two other places in the New Testament: Acts 21:8 and 2 Timothy 4:5. Evangelists are given the unique ability by the Holy Spirit to clearly and effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others. They are burdened in their hearts for the lost and will go out of their way to share the truth with them. Evangelists are able to overcome the normal fear of rejection and engage non-believers in meaningful conversations about Jesus. Their gift allows them to communicate with all types of people and therefore they receive a greater response to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. They continually seek out relationships with those who don t know Jesus and are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit to approach different people. See Ephesians 4:11, Acts 8:5-12, 26-40, 21:8, and Matthew 28: Faith The spiritual gift of faith is not to be confused with saving faith. All Christians have been given saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), but not all receive this special gift of faith. The word for faith in the New Testament is Pistis. It carries the notion of confidence, certainty, trust, and assurance in the object of faith. The gift of faith is rooted in one s saving faith in Christ and the trust that comes through a close relationship with the Savior. Those with this gift have a trust and confidence in God that allows them to live boldly for Him and manifest that faith in mighty ways. In the Bible the gift of faith is often accompanied by great works of faith. In Acts 3:1-10 we see this gift in action when Peter sees a lame man at the Beautiful Gate and calls on him to stand up and walk in the Name of Jesus. Jesus said even a small amount of this faith could move mountains (Matthew 17:20; 21:21). Paul echoed this truth in 1 Corinthians 13:2. The Holy Spirit distributes this gift to some in the church to encourage and build up the church in her confidence in God. Those with the gift of faith trust that God is sovereign and He is good. They take Him at His Word and put the full weight of their lives in His hands. They expect God to move and are not surprised when He answers a prayer or performs a miracle. Two other passages to mark in your Bible regarding the gift of faith are I Corinthians 12:9 and Hebrews 11:

9 Giving The Greek word for the spiritual gift of giving is Metadidomi. It simply means to impart or to give. However, this word is accompanied in Romans 12:8 by another descriptive word: Haplotes. This word tells us much more about the kind of giving that is associated with this gift. The word Haplotes means sincerely, generously and without pretense or hypocrisy. The Holy Spirit imparts this gift to some in the church to meet the various needs of the church and its ministries, missionaries, or of people who do not have the means to provide fully for themselves. The goal is to encourage and provide, giving all credit to God s love and provision. Those with this gift love to share with others the overflow of blessings God has given them. They are typically very hospitable and will seek out ways and opportunities to help others. The are also excellent stewards and will often adjust their lifestyles in order to give more to the spread of the Gospel and the care of the needy. They are grateful when someone shares a need with them, and are always joyful when they can meet that need. See Romans 12:8, 13, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 9:6-15; Acts 4:32-37, Galatians 4:15, Philippians 4: Helps / Serving / Ministering The spiritual gift of helps, service, or ministering, covers a wide range of activities in its application. There are two Greek words for this gift. The first one, found in Romans 12:7, is Diakonia. The basic meaning of this word is to wait tables, but it is most often translated in the Bible as ministry. It s where we get the word Deacon. It refers to any act of service done in genuine love for the edification of the community. The word Antilepsis is translated helping and is found in 1 Corinthians 12:28. It has a similar meaning: to help or aid in love within the community. The Holy Spirit endows some believers with this gift to fill the many gaps of ministry and meet the needs of the church as it fulfills the Great Commission. The goal is to energize the church and free up others to use their gifts to the fullest. The result is the continued edification of the church and the added ability to see beyond its own needs and reach out into the community. We see people with this gift in passages like Acts 6:1-7, 1 Corinthians 16:15-16, and many others. Those with the gift of service are committed to the spread of the Gospel. They serve in ways that benefit others with different gifts and ministries that are more public. They have a heart devoted to Jesus and a desire to follow His command and example in Matthew 20:25-28 (cf. Mark 10:42-45). Those with this gift do not seek recognition or a position in the spotlight, they just love to help out. They are content with serving in the background knowing that their contribution will bless the church, display the love of Christ to the world, and bring glory to God. Other great passages to study on this subject would include Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 28, Acts 20:35, 2 Timothy 4:11, and Revelation 2:19. 9

10 Hospitality People with the gift of hospitality extend love and caring to others by providing fellowship, food, and shelter. Those with this gift seem to always be ready and willing to invite guests over or to offer their home for a place to meet for any occasion. They enjoy providing refreshments or preparing meals for individuals and groups. They enjoy meeting new people and have a gift for making people feel comfortable and welcome. 1 Peter 4:9-10 is a great passage to study on the gift of hospitality. Intercession All Christians are supposed to pray, and regularly, but Christians with the gift of intercession consistently pray on behalf of others, seeing frequent and specific results. They are equipped to pray for an extended time and on a regular basis for individuals, both churched and unchurched and for specific ministries of the church. People with the gift of intercession are convinced that God responds to prayer and they pray in direct response to the leading of the Holy Spirit. See 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Knowledge The spiritual gift of knowledge is also known as the word of knowledge or utterance of knowledge. The Greek word for this gift is Gnosis and it simply means knowledge or understanding. The Scriptural emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12:8 is on the ability to speak this knowledge to others in a given situation. In the opening passages of 1 Corinthians, Paul spoke of knowledge and recognized that the highest form of knowledge among men is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (that would be the testimony about Christ, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4-7). Simply put, the gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that is founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures. This gift is closely related to the gift of wisdom which is alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1: The Holy Spirit gives this spiritual gift to some believers to bring about understanding and to inform the church or individual believers. The person with this gift is very knowledgeable of the Bible, with many passages committed to memory. They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times. The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all aspects of life in this world. They can see how it connects to every situation and circumstance and how the reality and truth of the Gospel is to inform every decision a Christian makes. Three other passages to check out are 1 Corinthians 12:8, Romans 15:14, and 2 Corinthians 2:14. Leadership The spiritual gift of leadership is closely related to the gift of administration and, interestingly, the spiritual gift of pastor/shepherd. The Greek word for the spiritual gift of leadership is proistemi. This word means to lead, to assist, to protect and to care for others. The spiritual gift of leadership is found in Romans 12:8 sandwiched between the gifts of giving and of mercy. It is placed there intentionally to show that 10

11 it is a gift associated with caring for others. This is what connects it to the gift of pastor/shepherd, and what differentiates it from the gift of administration. It is more people oriented than task oriented in its application. This is not to say those with the gift of administration do not care for people, rather, it s to say, those with the spiritual gift of leadership focus on people and relationships more directly. The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gift of leadership to some in the church to care for God s people and lead them into deeper relationship with Christ and each other. They base their success on how well they help others succeed and grow in their spiritual walk with Jesus. They are able to accomplish many different tasks and objectives as they lead, but they will always lead relationally and with a deep concern for the well-being of others. They are visionary and less concerned with mundane details than those with the spiritual gift of administration. Many are entrepreneurial and willing to take risks to see the kingdom of God advanced through the church. They will go to great lengths to protect those under their care and are well-equipped to lead during times of crisis. Some great passages to study would be Romans 12:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, and 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12; 5:17. Mercy All Christians are called to be merciful because God has been merciful to us (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 2:4-6). The Greek word for the spiritual gift of mercy is Eleeo. It means to be patient and compassionate toward those who are suffering or afflicted. The concern for the physical as well as spiritual need of those who are hurting is covered by the gift of mercy. Those with this gift have great empathy for others in their trials and sufferings. They are able to come alongside people over extended periods of time and see them through their healing process. They are truly and literally the hands and feet of God to the afflicted. The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gift of mercy to some in the church to love and assist those who are suffering, and walk with them until The Lord allows their burden to be lifted. The gift of mercy is founded in God s mercy towards us as sinners and is consistently expressed with measurable compassion. Those with this gift are able to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15) and bear one another s burdens (Galatians 6:2). They are sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of others and can quickly discern when someone is not doing well. They are typically good listeners and feel the need to simply be there for others. See Romans 12:8, Matthew 5:7; Luke 10:30-37; James 3:17; Jude Prophecy This is the spiritual gift where the Spirit empowers certain Christians to receive revelation and speak powerful messages from God to people. Prophecy is simply the gift of revealing truth and proclaiming it in a timely and practical manner for understanding, correction, edification, or repentance. It is not so much foretelling the future, as it is being able to draw implications from the Bible to life situations. People with this gift often see truth others fail to see and confront 11

12 them with it. They tend to relate their own experiences and the experiences of others to God s will and Word. Check out Romans 12:6, I Corinthians 12:10, 14:1-5, 30-33, Ephesians 4:11, and I Peter 1: Shepherding / Pastoring The spiritual gift of pastor or pastor/shepherd is one that carries many different responsibilities. This gift is closely related to the spiritual gifts of leadership and teaching. The Greek word for pastor is Poimen and simply means shepherd or overseer. In the Biblical context, shepherds had several different responsibilities to their sheep and ultimately, to the owner of the sheep. They kept a lookout for predators and protected the sheep from attackers. They cared for wounded and sick sheep, nursing them back to health. They rescued them if they became lost or trapped. They spent enormous amounts of time with them guiding them to the places of nourishment and rest. The result was a trust and relationship that kept the sheep following the shepherd. The sheep were attuned to the shepherd s voice to the point that even if they were temporarily mixed with another herd, at the call of the shepherd they would separate and follow him. Pastors are called shepherds because their calling and gifting are much like those who care for sheep. They are called and gifted to care for the spiritual well-being of a local body of God s people. Pastors are first and foremost servants. They are servants of God and servants of His bride, the church. They are given a mixture of abilities by grace that allows them to serve the needs of an entire community. The goal of the pastor is to reveal the glory of God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to a people who need God s grace for life. The primary way the pastor will do this is by teaching the Word of God to the church. The gift of pastor is directly linked to the gift of teaching in Ephesians 4:11 and elsewhere. In fact, this gift could be called the gift of pastor-teacher. The ability to teach the Scriptures is also one of the many requirements of being an overseer or elder (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9). By teaching the Scriptures to the church, the pastor feeds the sheep of God. The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gift of pastor to some in the church to humbly teach them, guide them, protect them, and to lead them in the mission that God has for His church, namely the Great Commission. The pastor loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ and puts it at the center of his life and ministry. Pastors do not seek fame or recognition for themselves. Instead, pastors are placed in a position of authority by the Holy Spirit. The role of a pastor is one of humility and service as he is reminded daily of his overwhelming need of God s grace for the task at hand. Check out Ephesians 4:11, Jeremiah 3:15, Acts 20:28, and John 10: Teaching This is the spiritual gift where the Spirit enables particular Christians to communicate and clarify the details and truths of God s Word for others to learn. The gift of teaching equips a person to understand and communicate information so that others within the church learn and grow. People with this gift tend to enjoy researching and 12

13 learning why things are true. They also excel in finding ways to communicate what they have learned to others. They are gifted in being able to present information and spiritual truth in exciting and engaging ways that challenge others. Check out Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. Wisdom This is the spiritual gift where the Spirit empowers particular Christians with a supernatural understanding of God s Word and the will to apply it to life situations. The gift of wisdom gives a person insight into how certain knowledge should be applied to specific needs. People with this gift: receive an understanding of what is necessary to meet the needs of the church; provide a divinely given solution in the midst of conflict or confusion; hear the Spirit provide direction for God s best in a given situation. They tend to apply spiritual truth in very specific and practical ways. See 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and James 3: